The present invention relates to fasteners, and in particular to fasteners for use in assemblies of various types such as automobiles and appliances which require lateral adjustment. The increased use of polymeric materials in the automobile, appliance and other industries has created a need for new ways of connecting such materials to each other as well as to different materials.
The present invention is particularly pertinent in welding operations such as friction, ultrasonic, and solvent welding and simplifies the connection of parts requiring alignment.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify assembly of weldable parts.
A further object of the present invention is to simplify the manufacture of articles which comprise parts of assemblies.
Yet another object is to provide means for preassembling adjustable parts of such assemblies.
Another object is to provide weldable fasteners which are laterally adjustable relative to an article to which they are welded.
Still another object is to provide means for properly positioning and spacing weldable fasteners with respect to articles to which they are welded.
Another object is to provide a fastener for making sealed and non-rattling connections between weldable articles and workpieces to which they are attached.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved with a fastening system which includes an article to be fastened and a two-part preassemblable fastener. The fastener is comprised of a base with an apertured recess surrounded by a weld surface formed on a laterally extending flange and an elongate fastening element. The head of the element fits loosely in the recess of the base and is adjustable therein. The shank of the fastening element extends through the aperture in the recessed portion of the base. A molded formation is created in the article to be fastened in order to provide a rough placement guide. Once roughly positioned the base is welded to the article while the fastening element is captivated within the recess. The shape of the inner part of the molded formation such that welding is preventing between the fastening element and the article, whereby fine adjustment can be made between the article to be fastened and a workpiece. The result is an easier assembly operation and simplified molding of parts.
The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following specification, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.